Israel cancels entry visas for 27 left-wing French lawmakers

Israel canceled visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers and local officials two days before they were to start a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, the group says.

The action came only days after Israel stopped two British members of parliament from the governing Labour party from entering the country.

Israel’s interior ministry says visas for the 27 were canceled under a law that allows authorities to ban people who could act against the State of Israel.

Seventeen members of the group, from France’s Ecologist and Communist parties, say they have been victims of “collective punishment” by Israel and call on French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene.

They say in a statement that they had been invited on a five-day trip by the French consulate in Jerusalem. They had intended to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories, as part of their mission to “strengthen international cooperation and the culture of peace,” they add.

“For the first time, two days before our departure, the Israeli authorities canceled our entry visas that had been approved one month ago,” they say. “We want to understand what led to this sudden decision, which resembles collective punishment.”

The delegation included National Assembly deputies Francois Ruffin, Alexis Corbiere and Julie Ozenne from the Ecologist party, Communist deputy Soumya Bourouaha, and Communist senator Marianne Margate. The other members were left-wing town mayors and local lawmakers.